Question of the Day

Did illegal voters swing any congressional races?

ROUND ROCK, Texas — A bank robber strode into the First State Bank here Thursday, passed a threatening note to a teller and seized a bundle of cash, police said.

A half-dozen bank employees ran and a few more hid in another room, summoning police on cell phones.

But oddly, Paul Wendell Gunn, 62 — described as “almost nonchalant” by one teller — didn’t run off with his ill-gotten loot.

He sat down in the bank lobby, pulled open a copy of Texas Monthly magazine and calmly flipped through the magazine.

Within minutes SWAT team officers converged on the bank and arrested Mr. Gunn, who had no gun.

“This is one of the more unusual bank robberies we’ve encountered,” said Eric Poteet, the Round Rock police spokesman. He said Mr. Gunn, who had previous convictions for driving while intoxicated and aggravated assault, likely would be charged with robbery.

Priest stole for lavish lifestyle

NEW YORK — A Roman Catholic priest pleaded guilty to grand larceny yesterday for financing a lavish lifestyle of vacations, country clubs and fancy clothes with more than $800,000 looted from his parish.

Lawyers for John Woolsey, pastor of the Church of St. John the Martyr, entered the plea as part of a deal in which the judge promised him a minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum of five years.

Woolsey, 68, told the court that although he thought he was entitled to spend some of the money at his discretion, he acknowledged spending a significant amount that exceeded what was legal.

“I am deeply sorry for my actions, and I apologize for my conduct,” the priest said.

Oldest governor to seek re-election

JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Frank H. Murkowski, the nation’s oldest governor at 73, announced yesterday that he will seek a second term.

Mr. Murkowski, a Republican, told a crowd of party faithful in Fairbanks that he wanted to finish the job he began four years ago after leaving the U.S. Senate — improving the state’s economy.

“We’ve lived up to that commitment, but it’s not done yet,” he said.

The governor said his top priority would be establishing a natural-gas pipeline from Alaska to Canada or Chicago.

Republicans in the race include former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin and Fairbanks businessman John Binkley. On the Democratic side are Anchorage Reps. Ethan Berkowitz and Eric Croft.

Couple accused of killing, torture

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A couple accused of videotaping the rape of a woman and killing her were arrested when they called 911 after a car accident and told a deputy they planned to hurt themselves, authorities said yesterday.

Richard Davis and Dena Riley, who lived together in Independence, Mo., were arrested Thursday evening.

Mr. Davis, 41, and Miss Riley, 39, already are charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, kidnapping, forcible rape and two counts of forcible sodomy in the death of Marsha Spicer. Her naked body was found May 15 in a shallow grave, a day after she was thought to have been strangled.

Police interviewed the couple last week, but they fled soon after, before authorities obtained a search warrant and found the videotape.

Revolutionary War flags go on display

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Three rare American Revolutionary War flags that might have been made by Betsy Ross went on public display yesterday for the first time in nearly 226 years.

“I’ve called these sacred relics,” said David Redden, vice chairman of Sotheby’s in New York, where the flags will be auctioned next month.

The silk flags were captured by the British in 1780 at the Battle of Waxhaws in Lancaster County near the North Carolina state line. They are on display for the opening weekend of the Spoleto Festival USA arts fair; Monday is the 226th anniversary of the battle.

Suspect in slayings faces new charges

LANCASTER, Pa. — A man charged with killing six relatives in the family home also had attempted to travel to New York to kill his grandfather and was stopped only by car trouble, prosecutors say in a new count filed yesterday.

Jesse D. “Jay” Wise Jr.’s grandmother, two aunts, an uncle and two cousins had been killed but had not yet been discovered when police say Mr. Wise and a 16-year-old girl drove toward New York in his slain grandmother’s Mercedes sport utility vehicle.

The girl, Angelica Gillogly, testified in a preliminary hearing yesterday that Mr. Wise told her he was going to bring drugs back from New York and that he “had to finish what [he] started.” His grandfather, Jessie L. Wise, was in Brooklyn, away from the family home in Leola, a small village in Lancaster County’s rural Amish country.

The SUV broke down near King of Prussia early April 11, and a friend gave Jay Wise and Angelica a ride back to Lancaster County, police said.